King of the Commandos
King of the Commandos, by W. E. Johns was published in October 1943 by University of London Press. Subtitled "A Story of Combined Operations", it was the first book by on the Gimlet character. The events in the book take place in France during the middle part of the Second World War. From 1967 onwards, French small format comic publisher Aredit put out the King comic series. The first 13 issues of this quarterly series carried adaptations of the Gimlet stories. King of the Commandos was the first to be adapted, being published in a two-issue story arc in King et ses hommes (Nov 1967) and King et les otages (Feb 1968). Synopsis The book introduces Gimlet and his team of commandos to the readers. Gimlet, "Copper" Collson and "Trapper" Troublay make a secret reconnaissance of northern France. They met a British youth named "Cub" Peters, who had been trapped in France following the German invasion and unable to get home. "Cub" returns with them, joins Gimlet's team and is soon back in France on his first commando mission. Plot Note: The sections below contain spoilers. In particular, the plot subpage (click here) has an extended summary of the narrative in the book Characters *Gimlet *"Copper" Collson *"Trapper" Troublay *"Cub" Peters *Colonel Lionel Peters *"Grey Fleas" members ** The Fox - Louis Morelle **The Falcon **The Rat **The Wolf **The Snake **The Owl **The Frog **The Grasshopper *Jules Rochet *Marcelle Rochet *Jacques Voudrier *Bertrand Dacosta *Gaston Boulanger *Monsieur le Comte de Rozay *Father Edwinus *General Romortin *Freddie *Charles *Biggles *Ginger *Generaloberst Gunther *Hauptmann von Roth *Leutnant Zimmermann *Colonel Frey *German soldiers **Karl - sentry at radio-location hut at beginning of story **Rudolf - sentry outside signal box at rail sidings at Falaise **Hans Schneider Aircraft *Hawker Hurricane *Messerschmitt Me 109 *Hawker Typhoon *Consolidated B-24 Liberator Ships Places Visited *Caen **The Forest of Caen **Place de la Republique **Place de la Prefecture **Cafe Normandie **Hotel de Ville **Rue Auber **Marcel Boudrier's paint and wallpaper shop **Rue Jacques *Falaise *Argentan - passed on the way to Alençon *Alençon **Sarthe river *Le Mans **Quai Louis Blanc **Place des Jacobins *Chateaudun **Église de la Madeleine **Chateaudun Airbase **Château de Châteaudun *Paris **Bois de Boulogne **Quai d'Orsay station Mentioned *Dieppe *St. Nazaire *Glamfjord *Louvelle *Cherbourg Research Notes Chronology *The text mentions Gimlet and his men as having participated in the following operations: **Raid on St. Nazaire - Operation Chariot (March 1942) **Raid on Dieppe - Operation Jubilee (August 1942) **Raid on Glomfjord Power Station - Operation Musketoon (September 1942) *Thus the events in the book have to take place after September 1942. *Cub had got to France at Dunkirk (May 1940) and been stranded there for two years, so the timing fits. Gimlet's first encounter with Biggles *From the conversation between Gimlet and Freddie, it would suggest that Gimlet had heard of Biggles but had not met him before until he came to pick them up. Freddie says, "If you're lucky you'll get Bigglesworth for a pilot. Good bloke." Gimlet replies, "You mean the chap they call Biggles." *Freddie waves to the pilot and got a wave back and tells Gimlet it's Biggles at the controls, but Biggles does not get a speaking part in the story. Ginger does. *The Typhoons which provided cover for Biggles' Liberator were presumably from his 666 Sqn. Editions References External Links *wikipedia:St Nazaire Raid *wikipedia:Operation Jubilee *wikipedia:Operation Musketoon Category:Books Category:Gimlet books